Sussex Women have strengthened their batting ahead of the defence of their NatWest T20 Cup title – with a bit of help from an old friend.

New Zealand international Sara McGlashan, above, is set to join Sussex next month to bolster a top order which will be missing four key players.

The 34-year-old, who has 134 ODI and 76 Twenty20 International caps to her name, was encouraged to spend some time at Hove ahead of the inaugural Women’s Super League this summer by New Zealand coach Haidee Tiffen who played for Sussex 15 years ago.

McGlashan will make her debut in the second T20 Cup match against Kent on July 3 and will add some much needed experience to a side which will be missing Georgia Adams and Sarah Taylor through injury and unavailability plus skipper Georgia Elwiss and Dani Wyatt due to England commitments.

Coach Charlotte Burton said: “We were really keen to get a batsman in so we’re delighted Sara is going to join us. She is playing for the Southern Vipers in the Super League this summer and is coming over early so I made a few enquiries.

“I’m good friends with Haidee from her time with Sussex so I spoke to her and she put in a good word about the set-up at Sussex with Sara.

“It sets up a mouthwatering game against Kent at Arundel on her debut as Kent have former England captain Charlotte Edwards in their team and Sara’s New Zealand captain Suzie Bates.”

McGlashan, who could also fill in for Taylor as wicketkeeper, averages 22.36 in ODIs and 18.18 in T20Is and played for Sydney Sixers in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash in Australia last winter.

She will miss the opening round of Twenty20 fixtures against Middlesex and Yorkshire on June 26 but will be available for the remaining five matches.

Meanwhile, Sussex are hoping to rearrange their historic Royal London One Day Championship clash with Surrey which was washed out at Sheffield Park on Sunday. It would have been the first women’s match stages at a National Trust property and Sussex are keen to try again later in the summer